Serena Williams: Practice is boring

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Serena Williams says she asked for a wild card into the Dubai Championships to combat boredom once she believed her back injury was on the mend.

Kamran Jebreili

Serena Williams of the U.S. watches her sister Venus, unseen, in a match against Elena Vesnina of Russia during the first round of Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

Serena Williams of the U.S. watches her sister Venus, unseen, in a match against Elena Vesnina of Russia during the first round of Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

"My back finally started to feel better but it wasn't better in time for me to play Doha at the level I'd like to play," Williams said on Monday. "So then it became more about what can I play next and this was next on the calendar.

"It gets boring to have to practice every day. I was like, 'I don't want to practice anymore. I want to play a match.'"

The American has been sidelined with an aching back since losing a three-set, fourth-round match to Ana Ivanovic at the Australian Open last month.

The top-ranked Williams isn't just playing singles this week in Dubai. She and sister Venus, who also was given a singles wild card into the main draw, were granted wild cards into the doubles as well.

"It's actually going to be good for me to do (play singles and doubles) because it will give me some more match play," Williams said. "I need to get used to the conditions and moving so it's definitely helpful."

Williams, who received a first-round bye, will play Ekaterina Makarova of Russia in the second round.